Production of 3-bromopyridine and its hydrochloride



Aug. 23, 1949. F. TAYLOR 2,430,091

PRODUCTION OF 3-BROMOPYRIDINE AND ITS HYDROCHLORIDE Filed Sept. 18, 1,944

Pyr/aine V T/ 5 IN V EN TOR.

Freo L 0 we// Toy/or A TTORNgYS Patented Aug. 23, 1949 2,480,091

UNITED STATES PATENT PRODUCTIGN F S-BROMUPYRIDINE AND ITS HYDROCHLORIDE Fred Lowell Taylor, Midland, Mich, assignor to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application September 18, 1944, Serial No. 554,644

()FFICE 2 considerably lower than that of pyridine hydrochloride and, consequently, that the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride may be distilled from the reaction mixture as it is formed.

when a mixture of bromine .and pyridine is heated (2') Such removal of the 3 r m0py di h to a r cti temperture of 200 C, or th r b t, drochloride as it is formed reduces the amount of but that the yield of 3-bromopyridine is low and -5 diblomopyridihe s Y ChI dB) lay-products such as dibromopyridine and tarry formed as aby-p materials are formed in large amount. It is also (3) The hydrogen halide evolved during the known that the tarry substances are formed in bromination reaction consists for the most part lesser amount and the yield of the monoof hydrogen. chloride rather than the hydrogen brominated product, e. g. 3- bromopyridine hybromide which was expected. drochloride, is improved somewhat when em- (4) e dis y ast mentioned led to a susploying a pyridine salt, e. g. pyridine hydrochlop C Oh a hydrogen b de formed in the ride, instead of pyridine itself as the compound bromination reaction displaces hy 0- to be brominated However, even when broride from the pyridine base hydrochlorides and minating such pyridine salt, by-products, particconverts the latter into hydrobromides. This was ularly dibromopyridine, have been formed in large confirmed experimentally, i. e. pyridine hydroamount and the yield of the B-bromopyridino salt bromide is formed in considerable amount. It is has generally been less than 45 per cent of theop o that Other pyridine base Y idES retical, based :on the starting materials consumed. such as 3-br0mopyridine hydrobromide and 3.5- A large part, e. g. approximately half, of the dibromopyridine ,hydrobromide are also formed. bromine used asastarting material has, of course, (5) The pyridine hydrobromide formed as a consumed in forming hydrogen bromide. by-product in the reaction greatly retards the It is an obj-g t of this invention to provide an rate at which the bromination reaction continues improved method of brominating pyridine hydroand, itself, undergoes nuclear bromination at a chloride to form S-bromopyridine hydrochloride lesser rate than does pyridine hydrochloride. It which permits the reaction to be carried out in is believed that other pyridine base Y continuous manner with removal of 3-bromobromides formed in the reaction behave similarly pyridine hydrochloride from the reaction mixture 3 to pyridine hydrobromide in these respects. as is formed. Another object is to provide such (6) The pyridine base hydrobromides may be a method which permits continuous removal from converted into corresponding hydrochlorides by the reaction mixture of certain by-products passing chlorine into the reaction mixture. which, have found, retard the rate at which ('7) Such introduction of chlorine liberates the bromination reaction may be continued. A free bromine from the pyridine base hydroiurther object is to provide such a method wherebromides and renders the bromine thus liberated by a greater proportion of the bromine starting from the hydrobromide radical available for material may be utilized in forming nuclear nuclear bromination of a further amount of the brominated pyridine compounds than has herepyridine hydrochloride. tofore been possible. A still further object is to 40 (8) By introducing both chlorine and bromine provide such a method which involves a simple as starting materials in the bromination reaction, and novel procedure for supplying a large part the formation of pyridin b hydroblomides heat requirements of the process. Other y be ppressed or avoided and the rate of the objects will be apparent from the following debromination reaction may be increased. scription of the process. 5 (9) By such introduction of both chlorine and In studying the bromination of pyridine and bromine as starting materials in the bromination its hydrochloride, I confirmed the fact, previously reaction, a greater P D 0f e b 0mine reported, that tarry by-products are formed in may be utilized for nuclear bromination of the lesser amount when employing pyridine hydropyridine compounds than is possible when using hloride, rather than pyridine, as the compound bromine alone as the halogen starting material. to be brominated. I also made the fOllOWl-ng dis- (10) Such introduction of both chlorine and coveries concerning the reaction system for the bromine to the reaction may be accomplished bromination of pyridine hydrochloride: without appreciable increase in nuclear chlorina- (l) I found, suprisingly, that the product, 3- tion of the pyridine hydrochloride over the slight bromopyridine hydrochloride, has a boiling point extent to which nuclear chlorination occurs when bromine alone is introduced as the halogen reactant, i. e. I have obtained chloropyridine hydrochloride in about 0.5 per cent yield when using substantially pure bromine as the halogen reactant in brominating pyridine hydrochloride.

(11) The 3.5-dibromopyridine (or its hydrohalide) formed as a by-product in the bromination reaction has an effect, similar to that of pyridine hydrobromide, of retarding greatly the rate at which the nuclear bromination reaction may be continued.

(12) The 3.5-di'bromopyridine (which has a boiling point nearly the same as that of pyridine hydrochloride, i. e. 222 C.) may be distilled as it is formed from the reaction mixture. Whether the ease with which the dibromopyridine is dis tilled to leave the major part of the pyridine hydrochloride in the residual reaction mixture is due to a slight difference in boiling point of the two compounds or is due to the dibromopyridine distilling (possibly as an azeotrope with one or more other components of the mixture) at a temperature below its normal boiling point has not been ascertained and is only of academic inter est. The important thing is that the 3.5-dibromopyridine may be distilled from the mixture as it is formed so as to avoid its normal efiect of retarding the rate at which the reaction for the nuclear bromination of pyridine hydrochloride may be continued.

It is to be noted that the 3.5-dibromopyridine distills from the reaction mixture at, or somewhat below, its normal boiling point and, therefore, that it is evidently said compound, rather than its hydrochloride which undergoes distillation, even though, due to the presence of hydrogen chloride in the vapors which are evolved, the hydrochloride of the compound is obtained in the distillate. This point is mentioned because the compounds pyridine hydrochloride, pyridine hydrobromide and 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride have boiling points above and distinct from those of the corresponding free pyridine bases and, accordingly, are apparently stable at temperatures above the boiling points of the corresponding free bases.

(13) The reaction may advantageously be carried out in continuous manner, i. c. with feed of the starting materials to the reaction zone at rates corresponding approximately to those at which brominated products are distilled from the reaction mixture.

(14) The brominated pyridine compounds which are vaporized, together 'with hydrogen chloride, from the reaction mixture may advantageously be condensed by treating the vapors with sulficient water to form an aqueous solution of the brominated products. This step is of importance since the brominated products are solids of quite high melting point and condensation merely by cooling the vapor mixture may result in plugging of the apparatus.

(15) A considerable part, if not all, of the heat required for the bromination reaction and for distillation of the brominated products may advantageously be supplied by forming the pyridine hydrochloride from pyridine and hydrogen chloride preferably, though not necessarily, within the reaction vessel, but at a point preceding that at which bromine contacts the pyridine hydrochloride.

With regard to the last-mentioned discovery (15), it should be explained that the reaction mixture for the bromination of pyridine hydrochloride is extremely corrosive at the reaction temperature to usual metal apparatus, e. g. apparatus constructed of iron or steel, and that heat for in excess of that generated by the bromination reaction is required in order to distill the brominated products from the reaction mixture as they are formed. Although it is possible that certain of the acid-resistant metals or alloys such as gold, or alloys comprising chromium and iron, etc, may be sufiiciently resistant to corrosion to permit employment in the process, and the use of such metal apparatus is not excluded from the scope of the invention, apparatus constructed of, or lined with, such metals or alloys is expensive. Accordingly, for purpose of economy, the reaction vessel employed in commercial practice of the invention is usually constructed of, or lined with, a corrosion-resistant substance such as glass, enamel, or a ceramic. However, these corrosion-resistant materials are poorer conductors of heat than are the structural metals and they are susceptible to damage, e. g. cracking or shattering, if unevenly heated. Because of the large amount of heat which is required to distill the brominated products from the reaction mixture at a satisfactory rate and the relatively poor heat conductivity of the corrosionresistant material, external heating to supply the heat of distillation results in a considerable temperature gradient through the Wall of the reactor and is likely to result in cracking or shattering of the corrosion-resistant material. The reaction between pyridine and hydrogen chloride to form pyridine hydrochloride is highly exothermic. By utilizing the heat of this reaction to supply much, e. g. usually about three-fourths, of the heat requirements of the process, the reactor is heated internally and the likelihood of it being damaged is reduced or avoided. Additional heat may be supplied by heating or boiling the pyridine prior to admixture with the hydrogen chloride and also by externally heating the reactor, e. g. by means of a, heating fluid. Other modes of heating, such as by passing an electric current through the reaction mixture, may be employed if desired.

On a basis of the foregoing discoveries, the following improved method for the production of 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride, or 3-b-romopyridine, has been devised.

The invention comprises four new steps or conditions for carrying out the bromination reaction, viz.: (1) Distilling 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibromopyridine from the reaction mixture as they are formed; (2) introducing chlorine as well as bromine as a starting material so as to convert pyridine base hydrobromides into corresponding hydrochlorides and thus avoid the reaction-retarding effect of the hydrobromides while at the same time rendering a large part of the bromine employed as a starting material available for nuclear bromination of the pyridine compounds; (3) supplying a large part of the heat required in the process by employing pyridine and hydrogen chloride as starting materials and reacting them with resultant liberation of much heat; and (4) treating the evolved vapors with sufiicient water to condense and form an aqueous solution of the brominated pyridine compounds.

Each of the new operative steps or conditions just enumerated is, in itself, an advance over prior practice, and the advantages of these several steps and conditions are additive. Accordingly, optimum results are obtained when all of g rso'gon-r thesenew-features are employed, but -tlie-inventi'on :is of' a scope suchas to encompass a process for the brominati'on of pyridine hydrochloride wherein only: the firstof the aboveeenumerated new features, or wherein a combination of the first:and one ohmore'of the other new features, is employed: The" invention comprises certain other new operations which: are less-important than those Just-mentioned;- They-wilLbe brought out indescribing. the preferred mode-of practicingethe'invention.

Theaccompanying: drawing is a diagrammatic sketclrof one of the variouaarrangements of ap paratuswhi'clrmay be usedtin practicing the in.- vention; In the drawing, the numeral Idesignatesi a, reaction vessel which. is constructed of, or: lined with, acideresistant material. such as glass;- enamel, .a:.ceramic; or. a.corrosion-resistant metaizor alloy. The vessel. I is provided with" asurrounding. jacket. 2rhating an inlet 3: and: outlet dathrough which ..a-. heatingfiuid; e.. g; steamor oi1-,. etc, may becirculatedufor. purpose otheating thevessel. Atthehottom', vessel. I. is provided with a Valvedzoutlet 5: Thei valved lines. 6 and I, ion pyridine: and .hydrogemchloride, respectively, connectwithanin-let 8:1'n such. manner that materials;introducedzthrough the lines 6: and. I: are contacted and.admixed:inside. of .inletil. at a point well within ithervessel. I, i;. e. the; terminal section of inlet: 8:'. serves. asamixing: and reaction chamher. The valvedilines fi 'andi. IlLzfor chlorine. and bromine,. connect witha common inlet I I for the introduction of halogens into vessel It. At. itsv top vessel I is provided wit-ha still head I2 having an outlet. I3 Which connects with apparatus, not shown, for separating and'purifying. products distilled from the vessel I; A line l4; for water or other cooling fluid) projects inside the upper sectt'ion of the still head 12" and serves to condense unreacted: pyridine hydrochloride vapors and cause return of the latter to vessel I. The pyridinehydroc'hloride vapors, upon beingcondensed, absorb bromine if it is presentin the vapormixture. Thus bromine vapors are condensedand returned'to the reaction. The use of such means for'dephlegnrating. the vapors within still head.

I2 is'not essential and the cooling line .II'may be omitted. The reaction may be carried out with vaporizatiomof"little, if any unreacted bromine from-the reaction mixture. Because of the corrosiveness toward usual structural metals of the reaction mixture being dealtwit'h; the structural ridemay be accomplished ina chamber outside ofvesseb I and the resultantpyridine-hydrochlm ride vaporsm-ay be-fed directly into'vessel I. In such instance, the mixing-chamber and the line connecting the-same with'vessel I are preferably insulated against heat loss'so as to conserve and utilize the heat of reacttion. Again, the chlorine and bromine may be introduced separately or alternately; insteadof simultaneously through a common inlet, into vessel I. Other ways in which. the apparatus shown' in th'edraw-ing may bechanged ormodified will be apparent Imemploy-ing: the: apparatus ofthe drawing f or:

r introduced'zin equimolecular.proportions.

the continuous production: off 3 bromopyridine hydrochloride; thevessel I may first be charged,- e.- g: to from. A to /3 of its capacity, with pyri dinec Hydrogenchloridemay be introduced through inlet- 1 so as to -formepyridine hydrochloride within thervesselt- Heat-generated by the-reaction serves to heat thei vesselland-itstcontents gradually to.approaoh1thes temperaturev of: 160 C. or above at'which the-reaction. for bromination of: thek'pyridinehydrochloride is tobe carried out. While feedingrhydrogen chloride into the-vessel, animating fluid; erg; heated *oil or steam; isapreferably circulatedzt'hroughz the. jacket 2 sosas toi heatrtheouter' wallofi vessel. I at the same: time that .theilatter is-being heated internally. The rateoflintroduction ofithehydrogen chloride and. of external heating of." thevessel= I should be. such as to. cause only'gradna]; heating; e. gathey may be such as to heatthe vesseliand its contents to aztemperature of 160 C. lira. period a half. houror more;

When the pyridine within vessel I hasbeen converted: to pyridine hydrochloride and: the vessel: and) its contents haveibeen heated'to a temperature on 1609122 orabove,. pyridine; is introducedthroughrliner 5; and inlet. 8'5 and chlorine and bromine are introduced through theirespective linessewand aI and-the common inlet I I Eor purpose of economy and convenience of: operation; the: pyridine and: hydrogen chloride are preferably introducedf in equimolecularproportions. However, either" of these starting. materialsamay be used: int-molecular. excess. over the other; As. hereinbeforewmentionedi:.the employment of pyridine in molecular excess over the-hydrogen: chloride results in an; increase in the formation of. tarry by-productsgbut'the use ofa 10'-t0 2i) percent: molar' excess: of pyridine over. the hydrogen chloride may be tolerated. Thevruse -of hydrogen: chloride in amount greatly eyceeding themoleculanequivalent of pyridine has no detrimental effect upon the bromination' reaction;

The chlorineand: bromineare preferably also However;..bromine alone: may though'less satisfactorily, beiemployedrasthe halogen'starting material or, if desired';..a"moderate excess, ve. g., .a 10- per cent excess; of chlorine'over the molecular equivalent;- of thezbromin'esrmay be used without excessive: increase: in' the amount of by-product formation. In general, the yield of 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride; becomes higher and the yield of dibromopyridine decreases with increase in theratio' of pyridine hydrochlorideto bromine in. the reaction mixture. For this reason, the react-ionis advantageouslycarried out so as to maintain at least 5', and-preferably 10 or more, molecular equivalents of pyridine hydrochloride per mole of bromine in the reaction mixture throughout most of therreaction period... In continuous operation, once: an inventory of pyridine hydrochloride in such proportion has been establishedin th'ereaction zone,.ha1o'gen (i. e. bromine or a mixture'of bromine and chlorine) and additionalpyridine hydrochloride may be fed to said zone in approximately equimolecular proportions. In; practice, thezrates. of" feed ofhalo'gen and pyridine hydrochloride are often varied, e. g. in someiinstances as-much-as: vp'er cent; from the theoretical:.equimoleculari proportion of the two: reactants so as. to compensate for the consumption": or loss of: either: reactant due to byproduct formation: on vaporization-from: the: reaction mixture.

It is important that the reaction be carried out under substantially anhydrous conditions since water, if present, promotes by-product formation. Strictly anhydrous conditions are difficult to attain and are not required. However, the reaction mixture should contain less, than per cent by weight of water.

During operation in such manner, the mixture within vessel I may be maintained at atmospheric pressure, at subatmospheric pressure, or even at a pressure somewhat above atmospheric, e. g. at a pressure as high as pounds per square inch gauge. In any instance, the reaction mixture is heated sufiiciently to distill B-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibromopyridine from the mixture as they are formed when operating at atmospheric pressure, thetemperature to which the reaction mixture is heated in order to cause the distillation is usually about 220 to 230 C.

When the reaction mixture is maintained at an absolute pressure of only 150 mm. of mercury, the products may be distilled therefrom by heating the mixture at a temperature of about 170 to 175 C. Usually the reaction is carried out under vacuum in order to facilitate distillation of the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and the 3.5-dibromopyridine and, also, so as to aid in vaporizing bromine and drawing the bromine vapors into the reaction zone.

The vapors evolved from the reaction mixture comprise not only the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibromopyridine produced in the reaction, but also pyridine hydrochloride, hydrogen chloride, possibly a minor amount of hydrogen bromide, and in some instances unreacted halogen. In order to avoid loss of bromine in the vapors which are evolved, the latter are preferably dephlegmated, e. g. by contact with the cooling element I i, so as to condense and cause return to the vessel l of pyridine hydrochloride,

which, upon condensation, absorbs bromine vapors.

The uncondensed vapors of 6-bromopyridine hydrochloride, 3.5-dibromopyridine and hydrogen chloride may be treated in any of several ways to separate the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride product. Such vapor mixture, as it flows from the reaction vessel l, is preferably treated with sufficient water to condense the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and the 3.5-dibromopyridine with formation of an aqueous solution thereof. Alternatively, the vapor mixture of 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride, 3.5-dibromopyridine and hydrogen chloride may be contacted with a cooling surface, e. g. the surface of an internally cooled drum, to cool and condense the 3-brornopyridine hydrochloride and the 3.5-dibromopyridine as solids, leaving the hydrogen chloride in an anhydrous gaseous form suitable for reuse in the process. Due to the presence of the hydrogen chloride in the vapor mixture the 3.5-dibromopyridine during condensation is, of course, converted into its hydrochloride and is collected as such.

The mixture comprising 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibromopyridine collected in either of such ways may be treated, e. g. with sodium thiosulphate, to destroy any trace of free halogen present. It may then be treated with an aqueous alkali solution, e. g. a solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide, to decompose the hydrochlorides and liberate the pyridine bases. The latter may be separated from the mixture and isolated as the individual compounds by steam distillation and subsequent fractional distillation, or in other usual ways.

By operating as just described, 3-bromopyridine may readily be produced in yields of from 60 to '70 per cent of theoretical, based on the amount of pyridine consumed in the bromination reaction.

In the process as just described all four of the new operative steps and conditions provided by the invention are employed. However, 3-bromopyridine may be produced in yields higher than are obtainable by prior processes, when employing only one or more of these new operative steps or conditions. For instance, by carrying the gromination out using bromine alone as the halogen starting material, but distilling the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and dibromopyridine from the mixture as they are formed, 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride may be produced in a yield of about 50 per cent of theoretical or higher. Further increases in the yield of 3-bromopyridine base on the bromine starting material and in the rate of the bromination reaction may be obtained by introducing chlorine as well as bromine as a starting material in the reaction. Thus, it will be seen that the improved process provided by the invention may be modified in any of several ways and that the invention is not restricted to the instance in which all of the new operative steps and conditions hereinbefore mentioned are employed in conjunction with one another.

The following examples describe certain ways in which the principle of the invention has been employed, but are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 The purpose of this example is to present data on the rates of reaction at various temperatures for the nuclear bromination of the compounds, pyridine hydrochloride and 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride. The procedure in carrying out each experiment was to heat 2 gram moles of the pyridine base hydrochloride on an oil bath to a temperature somewhat below that at which the measurement was to be made and add 8 grams (0.05 gram mole) of bromine in less than one minute. Due to the reaction which occurred, the mixture was heated spontaneously to the temperature of the measurement. The spontaneous rise in temperature was usually about 3 C. During the addition of bromine and the subsequent spontaneous heating of the mixture, both the reaction mixture and the surrounding oil bath were stirred vigorously and the bath was itself heated carefully, but quickly, to the temperature at which the rate of reaction was to be measured. After a few preliminary tests, it was found that both the reaction mixture and the oil bath could quickly and accurately be brought to the desired reaction temperature. The time of reaction was considered as starting with start of the bromine addition. After the mixture was heated to the desired reaction temperature (which usually required only a few moments) both the mixture and the sursounding bath were maintained at a constant temperature throughout the reaction period. Aliquot portions of the reaction mixture were withdrawn at measured intervals during'the reaction. Each sample thus withdrawn was promptly cooled, weighed, dissolved in glacial acetic acid and the solution was treated with water and molecular excess of potassium iodide over the amount of bromine which could possibly be present. The solution was then titrated with a standard sodium thiosulphate solution to determine the amount of free bromine which had been present in who sample ;of the react on mixture when it was withdrawn "for analysis. From the data collected inthe :seri'es -iof 'experiments, the rates of reaction, K1, for the nuclear "bromination at each of several temperatures ofpyridinc hydrochloride an'd'the corresponding rates oftreaction, K2, for the 'nuclear .bromination of :B-bromopyfldine hydrochloride were :calculated in known manner. In the present instance, each of the rates of reaction, Kran'd K2, represents the proportion of reactive 'bromin'epresent in the reaction'mi-xture .at anyjnstant which is being consumed per minute in causing nuclear bromination of the pyridine compound employed. The rates of reaction correspond tothose "of first order reac tions. The half-life period (expressed in minutes) of the bromine-employed as'a'starting'material in each of the bromination reactions at each of the temperatures at which the tests were carried out were also calculated in known manner iromthe data which was collected. The following table gives the rates of-reaction, K1 and K2, for the nuclear 'bromination 'of'the respective compounds, pyridine hydrochloride and 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride, as determined at each of the temperatures mentioned. It also gives the halflife periods "for bromine "in each bromination reaction at the respective temperatures at which thebromination reactions were carried out. The table includes "the ratio of K1 to K2 at each of the temperaturesvat which the reactions were carried rout.

From this data it willbe seen that pyridine hydrochloride undergoes nuclear bromination more rapidly than J3-bromopyridine hydrochloride, but that therates of reaction do not differ greatly. It will also beseen thattheratio, 'K1/K2, becomes higher as the reaction temperature .is raised. However, by-product formation also increases as the reaction temperature is raised; hence, the advantage of raising the reaction temperature, e.-g. from 160 to "230 (3., is'notas great as-might be thought from the datain the table. Due to the high molecular ratio of pyridine-hydochloride to bromine in the experiments on which "the above data is based, the concentrations of the reaction products were small and their influence on the rate of reaction was also small. The above data serves as a basis for comparisonwith other experiments wherein by-products normally formed in the reaction are initially added for purposev of determining their effect on the rate of reaction.

EXAMPLE 2 The rates at which pyridine hydrochloride undergoes nuclear bromination at .a temperature of 165 0., in the presence of initially added pyridine hydrobromide and, in a separate "seriesof experiments, in the presence of initially added 3.5-.dibromopyridine hydrochloride were determined. The procedure was the sameasthatdescribed in Example :1; except that :in .each of-one series of experiments a mixture of pyridine hydrochloride and pyridine hydrobromide, instead of pyridine hydrochloride "alone, was used as a starting material and in each of the other series of experiments a mixture of pyridine hydrochlorideand 3.5-dibromopyridine hydrochloride was use as a starting material. In all'of the experiments, the proportion of bromine employed corresponded ire-0.825 of'the molecular equivalent of the sum'of the quantities of the two pyridine compounds used as starting materials, i. e. in each experiment 0.05 gram molecular weight of bromine anda'total of 2 gram molecular weights of the two pyridine compounds were used. Table II names and states the molecular proportions of the two pyridine compounds used as starting materials in each experiment and gives the rates determined for thc'reaction of bromine to'cause nuclear 'b-romination of the respective pyridine compounds. The reaction rates given express the proportion of the bromine present at anyinstant which is being consumed per minute. The tablealso expresses each rate of reaction as per cent of the inormal .rate of \bromination, .i. e. the rate at whichbromine reacts with pyridine hydrochloride alone .at 0., which normal rate, as interpolated .from the values given in Table .I is 0.053.

that the compounds, pyridine hydro'bromide and 3r5-dibromopyridine hydrochloride, formed as byproducts in the bromination of pyridine hydrochloride, have an efiect of retarding the rate of further broniination, which effect becomesmore pronounced as such by-productsaccumulate in the reaction mixture.

EXAMPLE 3 In 'each of a series of experiments, ipyr'idin'e hydrochloride was heated to about 'to C., and brominewasiintroduce'dgraduallyin the amount stated in Table III. After completing the 'bromination "reaction, 3-bromopyridin'e "hydrochloride and 3.5-:dibromopyridine were distilled from the mixture. The distillate was dissolved in water and treated with alkali to decompose the brominated'pyri'dine salts and liberate the bromopyridines-as the freecompounds. The mixture of 3-bromopyridine and 3.5-dibromopyridine thus formed was recovered from the aqueous mixture and separated into its components by fractional distillation. Table III states the molecular ratio of bromine to pyridine hydrochloride employed .in each experiment, gives the molecular ratio in which 3-'bromopyridine and 3.5-dibromopyridinewere obtained and gives the yield of 3-bromopyridine, based on the bromineemployed. It also gives diherper cent of'the bromine employed which was contained in the S-bromopyridine product.

formation increases sharply with increase in the molecular ratio of bromine to pyridine hydrochloride from 0.1 to 0.2, after which the increase occurs more gradually.

EXAMPLE 4 The series of batchwise experiments described in Example 3 was repeated, except that in this instance an equim'olecular mixture of chlorine and bromine, instead of bromine alone, was introduced as a starting material. Table IV states the molecular ratio of halogen (i. e. chlorine plus bromine) to pyridine hydrochloride for each experiment. It also gives the molecular ratio of 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride to 3.5-dibromopyridine in the products and the per cent yield of 3-bromopyridine, based on the combined amount of the two halogens employed as a starting material. It also states the per cent by weight of the bromine employed which was contained in the 3-bromopyridine product.

From a comparison of Table IV with Table III, it is apparent that the employment of a mixture of chlorine and bromine, instead of bromine alone, as a halogenating agent greatly increases the proportion of the bromine utilized for nuclear bromination of the pyridine hydrochloride and that it also increases the molecular ratio of 3- bromopyridine to 3.5--dibromopyridine in the reaction products.

EXAMPLE 5 The pot of a still was charged with 412 grams (5.21 moles) of pyridine and anhydrous hydrogen chloride was introduced in amount sufiicient to convert the pyridine to pyridine hydrochloride. Heat enerated by the reaction caused fusion of the pyridine hydrochloride product. Thereafter a total of 647 grams (8.19 moles) of pyridine, approximately 13.4 gram moles of hydrogen chloride, 392 grams (2.45 moles) of bromine and 154 rams (2.17 moles) of chlorine was introduced over a period of about 5 hours while heating the mixture so as to fractionally distill 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibromopyridine from the mixture as they were formed. Surficient water was added near the top of the distilling lCOlllIl'll'l to cause partial condensation and reflux of material within the column without introducing more than a minor amount of water into the pot of the still, i. e. most of the water thus added was, itself, vaporized. The pyridine and hydrogen chloride were introduced in such manner as to become admixed within the pot of the still at a point remote from that at which the halogens were introduced. In this way the pyridine was converted into its hydrochloride before being contacted with the halogens. The chlorine and bromine were introduced in admixture with one another through a common inlet. Throughout the reaction, the mixture in the pot of the still was heated at approximately atmospheric pressure to a temperature of about 222 C. The vapors evolved during the reaction comprised hydrogen chloride, pyridine hydrochloride, 3- bromopyridine hydrochloride, and 3.5-dibromopyridine. As the vapors flowed from the head of the distilling column they were treated with sufiicient water to condense the pyridine compounds and form an aqueous solution thereof. aqueous solution thus obtained was treated with sodium hydroxide to decompose the salts of the pyridine compounds and liberate the latter in free form. The mixture was then analyzed to determine the pyridine compounds present. It was found to contain 244.5 grams (3.1 moles) of pyridine, 512.5 grams (3.24 moles) of 3-bromopyridine, and 20.5 grams (0.087 mole) of 3.5- dibromopyridine. The residue from the distillation was also treated with alkali and analyzed. It was found to contain 433 grams (5.48 moles) of pyridine, 28 grams (0.177 mole) of 3-bromopyridine, and 6.5 grams (0.027 mole) of 3.5-dibromopyridine. Accordingly, from the reaction there were obtained a total of 677.5 grams (8.58 moles) of pyridine, 540.5 grams (3.42 moles) of 3-bromopyridine, and 27 grams (0.114 mole) of 3.5-dibromopyridine. Of the pyridine employed as a starting material, 36 per cent was consumed in the reaction. The yield of 3-brom'opyridine was approximately '70 per cent of theoretical, based on the starting materials consumed. The ratio by weight of 3-bromopyridine to 3.5-dibromopyridine in the reaction products was 20.

EXAMPLE 6 70 pounds (0.886 mole) of pyridine was placed in a glass-lined retort and 33 pounds (0.904 mole) of hydrogen chloride was added gradually, whereby the mixture within the retort was heated due to the heat of reaction to a temperature of approximately 1'70 C. While adding the hydrogen chloride, the retort was heated externally so as to maintain the outer portions of its wall at about the same temperature as that of the mixture within the retort. Vacuum was then applied so as to reduce the pressure within the retort to about mm. absolute. Pyridine and hydrogen chloride in approximately equimolecular amounts were thereafter fed into the retort where they were mixed to form pyridine hydrochloride at a point remote from that at which a mixture of bromine and chlorine was also introduced. While continuing such introduction of the starting materials, 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5- dibromopyridine were distilled from the reaction mixture as they were formed, When continuous operation in such manner was first started, bro- 113 mine alone was introduced in vaporized form at a rate of 20 pounds of bromine per hour. Such introduction of bromine alone was continued for a period of about 15 minutes so as to e h 5;, an inventory of bromine in the reaction m c. Thereafter, the introduction of bromine as w ll as pyridine and hydrogen chloride was contin d, but chlorine also was introduced together with the bromine at a rate of 8.9 pounds perhour. The rate of feed of the pyridine and hydrogen chloride mixture was controlled so as to maintain a substantally constant inventory of materials within the retort. Operation in such continuous manner was carried out over a period of 32 hours, duringwhich period. the mixture within the retort was maintained at temperature of about 175 C. while distilling the brominated pyridine compounds from the mixture as they were formed. At the end of the 32-honr period of operation in such manner, the intreluction of bromine was discontinued, but the introduction of the other starting materials continued for about 15 minutes in order that the total amount of chlorine would correspond approximately to the molecular equivalent of the bromine used during operation. The vapors issuing from the retort were treated with sufficient water to condense the brominated pyridine compounds and form an aqueous solution thereof. This solution was treated with an aqueous caustic soda solution to decompose the hydrochlorides of the pyridine compounds to liberate the latter in free form. resultant mixture was analyzed and found to contain 6 pounds (8.1 moles) of pyridine, 7'71 pounds (4.38 moles) of 3-bromopyridine, and. 24% pounds (1.813 moles) of 3.5-dibromopyridine. As starting materials in the process, a total of 1191 pounds (15.1 moles) of pyridine, 646 pounds (4.0 moles) of bromine, 284 pounds (4.0 moles) of chlorine, and 565 pounds (15.5 moles) of hydrogen chloride had been employed. The yield of 3-bromopyridine was 70 per cent of theoretical, based on the pyridine consumed in the reaction. The 3-bro-rnopyridine product contained 61 per cent of the bromine which had been employed as a starting material.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the method herein disclosed, provided the step or steps stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated step or steps be employed.

I therefore particularly point out distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a method for the production of 3-brornopyridine hydrochloride, the steps of introducing pyridine hydrochloride a mixture of chlorine and bromine in the proportions of not more than 1.]. moles of chlorine per mole of bromine into a liquid fused mixture consisting for the st part of pyridine hydrochloride while distill 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and dibromopyridine from the reaction mixture as they are formed.

2. A continuous method for the production of 3bromopyridine byz. i u ch comprises passing pyridine hydrochloride and an approximately equimolecular mixture of chlorine and bromine into a liquid fused. mixture consisting for the most part of pyridine hydrochloride at rates such as to maintain in the react on mixture at least 5 molecular equivalents of pyridine hydrochloride per mole of bromine while heating the mixture to distill S-bromopyridine hydrochlo- 1-4 ride and dibromopyridine therefrom as they-are formed.

3. The method as describedin claim 2, wherein a large part of the heat required for the distillation is supplied by reacting hydrogen chloride with yridine to form pyridine hydrochloride and ice 3 the latter, while hot due to the heat of reaction, to the bromination reaction for the formation of 3-brornopyridine hydrochloride.

4:. The method as described in claim 2, wherein pyridine hydrochloride fed to the bromination reaction is freshly formed from pyridine and hydrogen chloride and heat generated by thus forming the pyridine hydrochloride is employed to heat the bromination mixture and distill brominated pyridine compounds therefrom and wherein the vapors issuing from the bromination mixture are dephlegmated to condense pyridine hydrochloride with resultant absorption by the latter of bromine in the vapor mixture and return of the condensed pyridine hydrochloride and bromine to the bromination reaction.

5. The method as described in claim 2, wherein pyridine hydrochloride is formed by reacting hydrogen chloride with pyridine and, while hot due to heat generated in said reaction, is fed to the bromination reaction for the formation of 3 brornopyridine hydrochloride, and wherein the reaction products vaporized from the bromination 1 mixture are treated with sufiicient Water to condense and form an aqueous solution of the 3- bromopyridine hydrochloride and dibromopyridine hydrochloride products.

6. The method as described in claim 2, wherein pyridine hydrochloride is formed by reacting hydrogen chloride with pyridine and, while hot due to heat generated by the reaction, is fed to the bromination reaction for the formation of S-brornopyridine hydrochloride, and wherein material vaporized from the bromination reaction is dephlegmated to condense and return unreacted bromine and pyridine hydrochloride to the bromination reaction and the remaining vapors are treated with sufficient water to condense and form an aqueous solution of the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibromopyridine hydrochloride products.

7. A continuous method for the bromination of pyridine hydrochloride which compris s r a n hydrogen chloride with pyridine to form pyridine hydrochloride which is hot due to the heat of reaction, passing the hot pyridine hydrochloride and an approximately equimolecular mixture of chlorine and bromine into a liquid fused mixture, consisting for the most part of pyridine hydrochloride, at rates of flow such as to maintain in the bromination mixture at least 5 molecular equivalents of pyridine hydrochloride per mole of bromine, while continuing such introduction of pyridine hydrochloride, chlorine and bromine, heating the bromination mixture at a temperature between 166 and 230 C. to vaporize 3- bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibrom0- pyridine therefrom, dephlegmating the vapors to condense and return unreacted bromine and pyridine hydrochloride to the bromination reaction, treating the remaining vapors With sufficient water to condense and form an aqueous solution of the 3-bromopyridine hydrochloride and 3.5-dibromopyridine hydrochloride products, treating the latter with alkali, and distilling to separate 3-bromopyridine from the mixture.

8. In a method for the nuclear bromination of pyridine hydrochloride by reacting the latter with bromine, the step of also adding chlorine to the 15 reaction mixture in amount corresponding approximately to the molecular equivalent of the bromine while heating the mixture sufficiently to maintain it in fused condition and to distill bromopyridine hydrochloride from the mixture as it is formed.

9. The method as described in claim 8 wherein the chlorine and bromine are added simultaneously to the reaction mixture.

FRED LOWELL TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 Englert Journal American Chem. Soc. (1929),

page 863.

Wibaut, Rec. de Trav. Chemie de Pays Bas, vol. 58 (1939), page 713.

Maier Das pyridin und seine derivatives 10 pages 81, 82 (1945). 

